Knitting mechanism



May 13, 1952 HiL. CURTIS KNITTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug.26, 1948 D x. a

FIG.

INVENTOR. HORACE LESLIE CURTIS U ATJOR EYS y 13, 1952 H. CURTIS KNITTINGMECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 26, 1948 FIG. 2;

w J M] 2 INVENTOR. HORACE LESLIE CURTIS BY Q XQ ATTO NEYS May 13, 1952H. CURTIS KNITTING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 26, 1948 FIG.4. F/ G. 5.

JNVENTOR. l-iU/PACZE' LESL/E CURTIS TORNEYS Patented May 13, 1952KNITTING MECHANISM Horace Leslie Curtis, Gilford, N. H., assignor toScott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. H., a corporation ofMassachusetts Application August 26, 1948, Serial No. 46,232

Claims.

This invention relates to knitting mechanism and has particularreference to the mounting and guidance of needles and sinkers in properrelative positions in circular knitting machines.

It has been customary to mount the sinkers of circular knitting machinesin proper relationship to the needles guided in slotted cylindersthrough the use of cylinder tops, or sinker rings, which are secured tothe upper ends of needle cylinders and which are slotted and providedwith annular guiding surfaces for interengagement with the inner ends ofsinkers which are supported at their outer ends in sinker dialssurmounted by sinker caps carrying the cams which act upon butts of thesinkers. This type of construction is illustrated in the patent to Scott1,467,691, dated September 11, 1923, and the patent to Moss 2,333,667,dated November 9, 1943.

In coarse gauge knitting machines this constructlon is quitesatisfactory. However, in fine gauge knitting machines, for examplethose containing four-hundred needles in the cylinder and adaptedfor-the knitting of sheer ladies hosiery, dlfiiculties are involved inthat it requires extreme precision of workmanship to insure that theangular spacings of the sinker guiding grooves are both uniformthroughout the cylinder top and are also precisely uniformly related tothe needle guiding slots of the cylinder. Any lack of uniformity inthese relations will be reflected in the production of vertical streaksin the knitted stockings.

Furthermore, the construction of the cylinder top for proper sinkerguidance carries it over the upper edge of the needle cylinder to suchextent as to limit the vertical height of the bottoms of the needleslots which serve for the guidance and support of the needle shanks withthe result that the needles are not adequately supported at their upperends and are subject to flexures which, if not uniform, will also resultin the production of vertical streaks in the stockings.

It is the broad object of the present invention to provide at the upperend of a needle cylinder means for insuring proper relationship betweenthe sinkers and the needles to insure uniformity of their cooperation inthe production of stitches. In achieving this, and in accordance withthe invention, it also becomes possible to afford an improved degree ofguidance and support to the upper ends of the needles so that theiroperations are maintained substantially more uniform than has heretoforebeen possible.

The attainment of the general objects of the invention indicated above,as well as subsidiary objects particularly relating to details ofconstruction and operation, will become apparent from the followingdescription read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through a needle cylinder andassociated parts embodying the improvements constituting the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary section through the assemblyof Figure 1 showing details 01 construction in accordance with theinvention, the section being taken on the plane indicated at 2-2 inFigure 3;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the plane indicated. at 3-3 in Figure 2showing the same devices as are illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an axial section similar to Figure 2 but showing a modifiedembodiment of the invention; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the right of Figure 4. r

The needle cylinder 2 is provided with axially extending slots 3 inwhich are inserted walls 8 which provide between them slots for thereception and guidance of needles ID. The walls 6 between the slcts 4serve as the bottoms of the slots between the walls 8 and act as guides:for the backs of the needle shanks.

A cylinder top 12 which is secured in the needle cylinder by screws l4differs from the conventional cylinder tops in that it does not projectsubstantially outwardly over the upper end of the needle cylinder and isnot provided with radial slots for the guidance of the sinkers, beingprovided merely with an annular flange l5 which by reception in slots inthe inner ends of the sinkers serves to determine the vertical positionsof these inner ends. In other words, the cylinder top plays no part indetermining the circumierential positions of the sinkers.

As contrasted with previous constructions, the cylinder 2 is extendedupwardly to provide extensions I6 of the walls 6 between which the in--serted walls 8 are located. The upward. extent of these extensions issubject toconsiderable choice and may be substantially above the levelof the tops of the extensions shown in Figure 2. It will be noted thatthese extensions I6 represent additional extended support for the backsof the shanks of the latch needles l0.

A conventional dial I 8 is radially slotted to receive the outer ends ofthe sinkers 22 which are covered by the sinker cap 20 provided with thecams which act upon the sinker butts 24. The inner ends of the sinkers22 extend in the slots between the wall extensions l6 above the upperends of the inserted walls 8 and are provided with slots which embracethe flange l and with extending portions 26 entering the annular groovein the cylinder top below this flange.

The bodies of the sinkers are made of a thicknessju st sufliciently lessthan the widths of the grooves between fth'e eitensioii's I 5tofp'rovi'de 'for free raaiaimevementspf the'sinkers during knittingoperations. As will be evident, if this thickness were carried up to thehook and adjacent portions of the sinkers there would not--be-sufilcientclearance between the sinkers and the needles to accommodate the iyai n.Aceordingly,

the sinkers are relatively thin iii-theirportions sinkers may takevarious forms, they are desirably of the general type illustratedinsai'dMoss patent, theconstructionbeing such as to prevent engagementbetween "the sinkers a'nd' the needle latches.

The*advantages of' the 'construction which has beerr""d'escrileed will nwfbe apparent. The per- "tioiisfof thefsi'nkei's bperating with theneedles inthe formation of jacent 'to and directly costit'ch'sa'reguided 'direcfly in the slots in the needle cylinder which support theinserted "walls which in "turnf prev-lee the slets for the: guidance jdfthe needles. It will 'aceordingly be evident "fth'at the 'i-ianonsmpsof' the sinkers to the nee- "dfles are not subjectto the inaccuracieswith which two s'eparate 'machining opera ti'ons are "carriedout. Iheaxiallyextending slots'i'n the "needle cylinder'inay be very accu'ratelymachined .5

and uniformly spaeed abolit the cylinder' with' the"sinkersai'e-directly supported and guided'by ensions is at theirportions which are in the "vicinity ojf theneedles.

It"wi1l*'be clear that the extensions 16" may be carried to a heightwhich is limited; not by the outward extension or" the cylinder top, oursolely 'py "the iowerm stposinon which isass'iimed by theyarn'inftheknitting operation. Accordingly,

:guidance for the-back of the needle-shankis afforded "substantiallyhigher than has --'heretofore been possible. y K

"Figure *1 and 5 illustrate amodified embodi "merit of theinventiondesigned to achieve the same endof "insuring primer accurate relation-"s'hipsoi the'sinkersand needles. In this'modir I 'der providing "a"series of ax iall'y ex'tending'wahs and separatewall members locatedbetween said wallsandexte'riding' radiallybutward therefrom,

' andsinkers inasmuch "as-the inserts 40 may be very accurately groundso tliat both-their lower ends as and their upper ends 48 are accuratelyaligned and symmetrical in the case of each insert'about a commoncentral plane.

The advantages of this construction is that sinkers maybe used'which areof uniform thickness' thr'oug hOutQthe enlarged upper ends of in- "sertslfl servi-ng'to provide guiding slots which are-thinner'than theinserted wall members 34.

It will be noted that in both modifications there"ar'e present meansproviding axially extending slots for the guidance of needles in theiraxial movements and forproviding axially 'ex- -t'endin'gslots for,therguidance of sinkers-in their radial-movements including pairs offitted, cont'acting, approximately radial surfaces maintaining "accuratecircumferential relationship "between each sinker guiding slot and theadjacent needle guiding slots. These surfaces are, of

course, not precisely radial, being parallel :and

disposed symmetrically-on opposite sides -of ra dial planes.

It will "be clear that details of embodiment "of the invention may be'chan'ged'without'- departing from the p'rinciples oith'e invention,-and, accordin'gly,-'it is to beunderstood'that the invention is not tobe limited except as required by'the fol" lowing claims.

What I 'claim and desire to protect byliettefs Patent is:

1. 'A -ne'edlecylinder assemblyfor circularknitting machines comprisingaslotted needle cylin-- provide slotgfo'r the guidance of sinkers. 2. Aneedle cylinder assembly-for circular knitting machin'es comprising a."slotted needle'cylihderprovidmg a series of axially-extending walls, andseparate wall members located between said walls andextending radiallyoutward thereiroin,

"fitEeItion'the "needIe cylinder 3!) is 'slotted'asin'disated at 32 forthe" reception of'the'inserted wall "members lafili'g'ior th'SlllipO'Itof "thesewall fine'fribersfthe walls'33. The insertedwallmembers'ni'aytermina'te as indicated at 36"adja'cent "tothe'end'ofthe needleeyclind'er. The upper "ends: the needle cylinder is reducedindiameter wafdly tne'upper end or the *neediegeynnder as indicatedatetThe outer edge portions' lfi and 48 of 'these inserts are in"axialaligninentwith the outer edges of thewalls '33 and so serve for "thesupport er the backs of the needles to heights "the wall'membersdefining slots for the-guidance of needles, said wall membersterininating short of the ends of said walls, whichwallends"therebyprovide slots for'the guidance of sinkers,"the "o\iter edges of saidWalls being axially continuous from the'portions thereof between said"wall members beyond the ends of'saidwall'members to afford extendedbacking for the shanks "of needles beyond the'ends of the wall members.

In combination, infa circular knittingmachineJa slotted-needle cylinderproviding a series of axially extending walls, separate wall memberslocated between said Walls and extending radially outward therefrom,needlesguided in'th slots defined between said wall memb'ers, s'aicl"w'all members terminating short of the endsof said walls, andsinkersguided between the end's e'fis'aid walls. I

'4. 1h c'ombiriation,"-in "a circular knitting machine,-a"s'lottednee'dle cylinder providing aseries of axially extending'w'alls, separatewall members located between said walls and extending radially outwardtherefrom. needles guided in theslots defined between said wall members,said wall members terminating short of the ends of said walls, andsinkers guided between the ends of said walls, the outer edges of saidwalls being axially continuous from the portions thereof between saidwall members beyond the ends of said wall members to aiford extendedbacking for the shanks of needles beyond the ends of the wall members.

5. In combination, in a circular knitting machine, a slotted needlecylinder providing a series of axially extending walls, separate wallmembers located between said walls and extending radially outwardtherefrom, needles guided in the slots defined between said wallmembers, said wall members terminating short of the ends of said walls,and sinkers having portions guided between the ends of said walls and.hook portions of thickness less than the thickness of said guidedportions.

6. In combination, in a circular knitting machine, a slotted needlecylinder providing a series of axially extending walls, separate wallmembers located between said walls and extending radially outwardtherefrom, needles guided in the slots defined between said wallmembers, said wall members terminating short of the ends of said walls,and sinkers having portions guided between the ends of said walls andhook portions of thickness less than the thickness of said guidedportions, the outer edges of said walls being axially continuous fromthe portions thereof between said wall members beyond the ends of saidwall members to afford extended backing for the shanks of needles beyondthe ends of the wall members.

7. In combination, in a circular knitting machine, axially movableindependent needles, radially movable independent sinkers, and acylinder assembly, said assembly including means providing axiallyextending slots for the guidance of the needles in their axialmovements, and separate means providing axially extending slots for theguidance of the sinkers in their radial movements, said two meansincluding pairs of fitted, contacting, approximately radial surfacesmaintaining an accurat circumferential relationship between each sinkerguiding slot and the adjacent needle guiding slots, one of the surfacesof each of said pairs being on the means providing needle guiding slotsand the other being on the means providing sinker guiding slots.

8. In combination, in a circular knitting machine, axially movableindependent'needles, radially movable independent sinkers, and acylinder assembly, said assembly including means providing axiallyextending slots for the guidance of the needles in their axialmovements, and separate means providing axially extending slots for theguidance of the sinkers in their radial movements, said two meansincluding pairs of fitted, contacting, approximately radial surfacesmaintaining an accurate circumferential relationship between each sinkerguiding slot and the adjacent needle guiding slots, one of the surfacesof each of said pairs being on the means providing needle guiding slotsand the other being on the means providing sinker guiding slots, saidmeans providing needle guiding slots comprising wall members inserted inaxially extending slots in a needle cylinder forming a part of saidcylinder assembly.

9. In combination, in a circular knitting machine, a slotted needlecylinder providing a series of axially extending walls, separate wallmembers located between said walls and extending radially outwardtherefrom, needles guided in the slots defined between said wallmembers, sinkers located between adjacent needles, and means providingaxially extending slots for the guidance of the sinkers in radialmovements, each of said last mentioned slots having its width determinedby a single wall member, so that both said width and the alignment ofsuch slot with a wall member are substantially independent of theindexing of adjacent wall members.

10. A needle cylinder assembly for circular knitting machines comprisinginserted wall members for supporting and guiding needles therebetween,and projections separate from said inserted wall members extending aboveand between said inserted wall members for positioning stitch drawingelements to cooperate with the needles so that said elements will besubstantially centrally located between flanking needles irrespective ofnon-uniformity of spacing of the needles in their circle.

HORACE LESLIE CURTIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,230,322 Pigeon June 19, 19171,255,260 Wilcomb Feb. 5, 1918 1,467,691 Scott Sept. 11, 1923 2,135,187Lawson Nov. 1, 1938 2,157,546 Lawson May 9, 1939 2,333,667 Moss Nov. 9,1943 2,416,938 Morgenstern Mar. 4, 1947

